That was how Hollywood star Saoirse Ronan summed up her return to a town she knew well from her childhood in Ardattin near Tullow: 'I grew up in Carlow and use to come to Enniscorthy quite a lot when I was younger. I remember the cinema. We used to go there a lot.'

She was speaking at a reception in Enniscorthy Castle hosted by the local Chamber of Commerce and Town Council for the cast and crew of 'Brooklyn'. The talk at the function was of bringing the premiere of the new picture, if not to Enniscorthy itself, then to the cinema facilities either Gorey or Wexford when it is released next year.

The star of 'Brooklyn' was particularly impressed and moved to learn that some of the extras recruited from around the area, or their parents, met their partners at dances in The Athenaeum. One of the big scenes in the film was such a dance in the same landmark building on Castle Street.

She was also touched to think that she was part of a movie dealing with emigration and the ties to home. Just turned 20, she revealed that it was familiar emotional territory for her own family: 'Mam and Dad made that journey and went over to New York in their twenties.'

She happily posed for pictures with local people and came across as most down to earth, despite the fact that she is now famous all around the world. Throughout the time on set in Enniscorthy, Curracloe, Tagoat and Crosstown, paparazzi with their long lens cameras have been keeping an eye on proceedings, in the hope of capturing a shot of Saoirse with co-star Domhnall Gleeson.

'It's been very long hours generally - 13 hours a day but it has been going well.'

The Ardattin actor is in action on location in Dublin this week before heading off to conclude work on the adaptation of Colm Tóibín's bestseller in Canada.